Online Trading of Indonesian Butterfly Products

Abstract

Butterflies are one of the wildlife commodities that have begun to be traded online. This study aimed to determine the data of butterflies traded online ranging from characteristics, protection status, product categories, trade media, and scope of demand. The methods used were direct observation through the internet and conventional shops, interviews, and literature studies. The results of the study found that 360 species from 5 families are traded and 47 species of which have protection status (conservation status). Butterflies are traded in various forms, namely dead specimens, live specimens, offsets, embedding, handicrafts and accessories. There are 16 types of butterfly trading media known online, namely e-commerce (6), social media (2), forum (3) and website (5). Indonesian butterflies are traded, both domestically and abroad. The demand for Indonesian butterfly products is mostly from European countries. The potential of butterflies as a trading commodity needs to be harmonized with conservation efforts so that their sustainability is maintained.